Tension was high in a northwestern Burmese town late Sunday after Buddhist mobs torched two homes belonging to Muslims and security forces were placed on high alert.

Win Myaing, a government spokesman in the restive state of Arakan, said the trouble started in the coastal town of Sandoway [Thandwe] on Saturday after a Buddhist taxi driver told police he had been verbally abused by a Muslim small business owner while trying to park in front of his shop.

Police took the Muslim man in for questioning. But when he was released soon after, people became angry and started throwing stones at his home.

Win Myaing said at least two houses had been burned down by Sunday night. Security forces were trying to restore order.

“The situation is under control but very tense.” Myo Min a Muslim resident of Sandoway contacted by phone told The Associated Press, adding that residents were fearful because they were hearing rumors that more Buddhists in Arakan would come to Sandoway to destroy Muslim houses.

Related Stories

A similar incident occurred in Sandoway, 170 miles northwest of Rangoon, three months ago when two Muslim houses were burned down after rumors circulated that a woman had been raped by Muslim men.

Burma, a predominantly Buddhist country of 60 million people, has been gripped by sectarian violence since June of last year. Most of the 250 people killed have been Muslims and 140,000 others have been displaced.

The latest flare-up will reinforce doubts that President Thein Sein’s government can or will act to contain the violence.